FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEContact: Barbara Stagno, New York Campaign
Coordinator, In Defense of Animals: 914-479-5276; Attorney David Bernheim:
914-271-6323

In Defense Of Animals Wins Landmark Injunction To Stop Deer Massacre
At Binghamton University

Binghamton, N.Y. (December 28, 2011) - In Defense of Animals (IDA), an
international animal protection organization with over 100,000 members,
announced today that it was granted a temporary restraining order (TRO)
in response to its request to the New York State Supreme Court in Broome
County Court to block a planned deer slaughter at Binghamton University.

IDA's lawsuit sought to stop Binghamton University, one of the New
York state universities, from moving forward with a plan to kill deer on
the 300 acre nature preserve owned by the university. Binghamton
University had contracted with White Buffalo, Inc., a company that
provides gunman who bait and shoot deer with rifles during the night. The
plan called for slaughtering ninety percent of the deer on the nature
preserve.

IDA was a co-plaintiff in the suit, which was also filed by a resident
whose home is adjacent to the nature preserve.

Citing multiple arguments that highlighted the risk to public safety,
IDA sought to block the deer massacre from taking place. IDA also
criticized Binghamton University for not considering more humane and less
extreme means of dealing with deer, including protective fencing, road
crossing safety devices, and immunocontraception, which renders deer
infertile for two years with a single injection. Such measures could be
implemented for the same or less cost than hiring sharpshooters.

Attorney David Bernheim, who represented IDA, said: 'To my knowledge,
this injunction is the first of its kind in New York and possibly other
states as well. The legal bar for getting an injunction is extremely
high, which makes this decision noteworthy.'

Judge Molly Fitzgerald issued the TRO largely based on Binghamton
University's failure to comply with New York State Environmental Quality
Review Act (SEQR). Her decision concludes: 'In the case at bar,
defendants have, to date, fallen short of their procedural obligations.
Their contention that SEQR compliance in regards to this action is not
necessary, is incorrect.'

'We believe Judge Fitzgerald's decision was thoughtful and fair,'
stated Mr. Bernheim. 'Her ruling held the university accountable to its
claim that the deer slaughter was an environmental decision, yet they had
hoped to get around the state law requiring a preliminary environmental
review.'

'Once we move past the environmental review, we will ask Judge
Fitzgerald to consider the other arguments we presented, especially the
issue of public safety,' added Bernheim.

Barbara Stagno, IDA's New York Campaign Coordinator who helped develop
the case, said: 'This decision gives us a fighting chance to stop the
Binghamton deer slaughter, now and forever. The key is to get the facts
to the public and the Binghamton University community, including the new
university president who will take office on January 1.'

Stagno continued: 'The notion that deer are the enemies of the nature
preserve is absurd. Deer are part of the ecosystem, not outside invaders.
Ecological imbalances are the result of human intervention, not deer. If
our forests are out of balance, it's because of the selfish and
anthropocentric way we have dealt with wildlife and nature. Hiring
sharpshooters to kill ninety percent of the deer in a nature preserve is
just a continuation of that unfortunate mindset.'

### In Defense of Animals is an international animal protection
organization located in San Rafael, Calif. dedicated to protecting
animals' rights, welfare, and habitat through education, outreach, and
our hands-on rescue facilities in India, Africa, and rural Mississippi.